128 THE COPPICE WITH STANDARDS METHOD 



at the end of the first coppice rotation may be taken out but 

 the better ones are left. After this cutting three distinct age 

 classes or stories are represented, the older standards now 

 twice the age of the coppice rotation, the younger standards 

 of an age equivalent to the coppice rotation, and finally the 

 new generation of sprouts springing up from the recently cut 

 coppice. This process may be continued through as many 

 coppice rotations as desired, increasing by one for each suc- 

 ceeding cutting of the coppice the number of age classes 

 occurring on the area. Eventually the older standards reach 

 the age assigned for their rotation which will be a multiple of 

 the coppice rotation. When this occurs, the oldest age class 

 of standards is cut, at the same time that the coppice is har- 

 vested, and the poorest trees removed from the other classes 

 of standards. From this point on, the number of age classes 

 on the area remains constant. (See Figs. 46, 47, 48 and 49.) 

 Where more than one species is reserved as standards, there 

 may be a different rotation for the standards of each species. 



Sprout reproduction is relied upon to maintain the coppice. 

 This is possible because of the low rotation. The standards 

 when finally harvested are usually too old to sprout. There 

 may be a small area around the stump of a standard which 

 is not stocked. If such is the case the gap is filled by planting. 



Since the standards live through several coppice rotations, 

 the danger of their becoming infected with fungi is great, if 

 they originate from sprouts. Standards of seedling origin 

 are less liable to such injuries than are trees of sprout origin; 

 hence it is desirable that most of the standards have seedling 

 origin. There may be a sufficient mixture of seedling repro- 

 duction starting naturally with each new crop of coppice. In- 

 deed the presence of standards capable of furnishing seed tends 

 to bring in more seedling reproduction than occurs in simple 

 coppice stands. When natural seedlings of the right species 



